


let me be brave

by piecesofgold



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Gen, House Dayne, beric is mentioned that's it im sorry, lowkey implies allyria is Brandon & Ashara's daughter verrrrry lowkey, this is literally what I wish we had seen from the Starfall with Allyria
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-15
Updated: 2016-11-15
Packaged: 2018-08-31 06:35:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8567965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/piecesofgold/pseuds/piecesofgold
Summary: She is two years old, and never sees her brother and sister again.





	

She is two years old, and never sees her brother and sister again.

Mama weeps, Papa seethes, and Allyria only has the memory of a man throwing her up into the air, laughing, and a woman with sad violet eyes watching them.

They have visitors, when Arthur dies. Two funny looking men and a baby with black hair. They bring a sword, too. The one Arthur used to let her try to pick up in her tiny hands, then laugh when she couldn't.

She remembers, much later, the perplexed look Eddard Stark had given her upon his arrival at Starfall, and it angers her. _You kill my brother yet look upon me with disbelief_ , _Ser_?

\--

She is five years old, and her father dies.

Allyria should be too young to understand death, she should not understand why the castle is suddenly deathly silent, why Mama does not leave her chambers, why her elder brother Alec is so angry all the time.

But she does. She _does_ and she almost hates her father, hates Arthur and Ashara for making her know.

\--

Alec's lady wife Jocelyn has a son, not so long after. Edric.

"He'll be Lord of Starfall after me," Alec explains as Allyria peers over the crib at the squalling pink thing wrapped in blankets. Rather unimpressive, to a six year old girl.

"What will I be?" She looks at him, wide eyed and innocent.

(An old serving woman of theirs once told little Allyria "you have your fathers eyes, child." Allyria thought the woman was silly, though; her fathers eyes were blue, and hers are grey as slate.)

Alec smiles sadly at her. "A lady in your own castle, I suspect. Once we find a little lord for you."

\--

Alec keeps his promise, and thirteen year old Allyria despises him for it.

"I won't," she as good as hisses at him. "I won't, you can't make me."

Alec sighs, "You will, Allyria. And I believe I can make you if needs be." There is no malice in his voice. "Lord Dondarrion is a good man -"

"An _old_ man!"

"Allyria -"

"I have not even flowered yet, and you wish to betroth me to a man who could be dead in a year?!" He won't be, she knows, but she's too angry to think.

"You will be _betrothed_ , is all. I shall send Edric to Blackhaven shortly, to serve as Lord Beric's page." Alec moves as if to lead her from his study.

 _He doesn't care for my feelings_ , Allyria realises then. _I am nothing more than a pawn for alliances to him_.

"Why him?" She tries again, voice softer. "Could it not be one of the Martells? Or Starks, I hear Lord Eddard's eldest is -"

Alec's face darkens so suddenly Allyria takes a step back. "Do not speak of _them_ in this castle. You will agree to this betrothal, sister, and you _will_ wed Lord Beric. I shall hear no more. Leave me."

"Alec -"

" _Leave_."

She flees.

\--

She is eighteen years old, and Alec is dead, too.

Something in his heart, the maester said. Something that made it stop forever.

Jocelyn weeps and Allyria numbs.

Alec is not the only one dead. King Robert perished, as did his brother Renly, and Lord Eddard Stark, his lady wife Catelyn, and their son Robb. They'd hailed him King in The North then put a dagger through his heart.

Edric is missing and has been for months, Beric is as well. Jocelyn is in no fit state to take charge, which means -

"Lady Allyria?"

Allyria turns away from gazing out at the Torentine to the serving girl come to fetch her. Her throat tightens and she nods, rising and smoothing out her skirts.

Council is a tense affair. Allyria twists her hands together to stop them shaking as one of her advisers reads from a parchment signed by the council members.

Absurdly, as the advisor begins to speak, she remembers Arthur, on the rare occasion he would be home, training with Alec. Remembers arms around her that must have been Ashara's, remembers feeling her laugh when Alec landed on his behind with Arthur's sword at his throat.

Allyria clings to the memory. It stops her from shaking.

"We, the council, hereby name Lady Allyria Dayne regent ruler of Starfall, in the absence of Lord Edric Dayne, until such a time comes that he should return and come of age."

**Author's Note:**

> I...have no explanation. I got sad about the lack of Dayne content in the books and show so, here we are!
> 
> Comments and kudos appreciated :)


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